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Sleep is critical to keeping your immune system strong, especially when you’re fighting a disease like leukemia. But those with leukemia often don’t get that luxury. The reason: night sweats. Among leukemia side effects, night sweats are common; they are also a side effect of chemotherapy.

When you have night sweats, you wake up in the middle of the night soaked with sweat, even when your bedroom isn’t very hot.

But it’s a not a side effect that you have to tolerate. Here, experts offer ways to reduce the night sweats so you can get a good night’s sleep.

Why Night Sweats Happen to Leukemia Patients

Part of the reason you have night sweats when you have chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is because your body turns up its internal thermostat to fight the cancer, says John Salerno, DO, a physician who treats cancer patients at Patients Medical in New York City and author of the e-book The Silver Cloud Diet. “It appears that heat can destroy cancer cells,” he says.

At the same time, leukemia patients also tend to be susceptible to secondary infections such as colds and flu, which can cause fevers. When this happens, you’ll feel feverish all day but it will be even more noticeable at night, and can make you wake up from sleep in a sweat, Dr. Salerno says.

And when you’re on chemotherapy to destroy tumor cells, chemical substances are released during that process, and that can also raise your temperature. It’s another cause of night sweats when you have CLL, Salerno says.

You may even notice night sweats without a raise in your body’s temperature. Sweats can happen in people with leukemia even without an accompanying fever, says oncologist Mikkael Sekeres, MD, director of the leukemia program at the Cleveland Clinic.

Turning Down the Heat of Night Sweats

You may think it’s par for the course when you have CLL, but it’s always important to let your doctor know if you’re experiencing night sweats, Dr. Sekeres says.

If they’re being caused by an infection, you’ll often need an antibiotic right away because infections can be potentially life threatening for people with leukemia. If your doctor is following your leukemia symptoms while you are not in active treatment, night sweats may be a sign that you need to start treatment, Sekeres says.

Salerno recommends two supplements, quercetin and black cohosh, that can help relieve night sweats when you have leukemia.

Quercetin, a substance made from onion skins, has an effect on cancer cells that reduces sweating, Salerno says. As for the black cohosh, this is an herb that’s often recommended for women who are experiencing hot flashes and night sweats due to menopause. It may help lower your body temperature and give you relief from night sweats.

Black cohash can be risky if you have liver disease or your liver is under stress from other medical treatments, so it should not be taken without the prior approval of your doctor.

Other tips for preventing and managing night sweats include:

Avoiding triggers. Spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine can all cause sweating, so it’s a good idea to avoid those foods to try to prevent your body from overheating and sweating.

Lower the air temperature. Because you know leukemia may cause night sweats that wake you up, be sure you lower the thermostat at night. A few degrees may do the trick.

Wear the right clothing. Sleep in light layers of clothing that won’t make you overheated, and that can be removed easily if needed.

Keep the air moving. Turn on a fan in your room — a ceiling fan with a remote control would be ideal — before going to sleep if you need to.

Think of battling night sweats as a way of arming yourself with the weapons you need each day to fight cancer. Your body will fight better when it’s had a good night’s sleep, one that was free of interruptions from night sweats.

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